Senegal recorded Africa’s first points and win with a 2-1 win over Poland in their opening game of Russia 2018.
Coached by Alou Cisse, the captain of the Senegalese side which shocked France 1-0 on their road to the quarter finals of the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup, the Teranga Lions of Senegal scored in both half to record an impressive win.
Led by Liverpool’s Saido Mane, the West African country which is the highest ranked African nation in the FIFA rankings opened their World Cup account through an own goal by Brazil-born defender, Thiago Cionek on 37 minutes.
Senegal more than held their own against the Poles, restricting them to only one shot on target in the first half, a Robert Lewandowski free kick which was comfortably saved.
Poland captain, Lewandowski, talked about the enormous pressure the Polish squad is always subjected to, and it seemed the players wilted under it as they gifted Senegal the second goal in comical fashion.
Grzegorz Krychowiak played an aimless long return ball to the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny which was rather short, and M’Baye Niang stole in between the on-rushing Szczęsny and defender Jan Bednarek to race towards and convert into the unguarded net.
Poland almost reduced the deficit few minutes later through striker, Arkadiusz Milik, but the Napoli forward stabbed wide from Lukasz Piszczek’s cut back, while Senegal ‘keeper, Khadim N’Diaye, comfortably saved another effort.
With ten minutes remaining, Poland stepped up the tempo and they halved the deficit four minutes to regulation time through midfielder, Krychowiak, who converted a looping header beyond N’Diaye from Grosicki’s free kick.
Senegal, in only their second World Cup appearance since their 2002 impressive debut, however, held on to record an impressive win over the shell-shocked Europeans, and will look to take control of Group H when they meet Japan, who earlier recorded a surprise 2-1 win Colombia, on 24 June. (The Cable)
